Two people and five greyhounds were rescued from Werris Creek by NSW State Emergency Service volunteers in the early hours of Saturday morning after being swept off a causeway.
NSW SES Liverpool Plains Unit Commander Frank Turner said that the water was up to the driver’s window.
“It was moving very fast,” said Frank. “The car was also knee-deep in some mud, so it wasn’t going anywhere.”
The NSW State Emergency Service has rescue experts, known as ‘Swiftwater Technicians,’ who are trained to save people from fast-moving floodwater.
Steve Taylor is a NSW SES Swiftwater Technician with the Murrurundi Unit who climbed into the water to rescue the trapped passengers and their dogs.
“It was a big drop off the causeway into the water, about seven feet,” said Steve. “It would have been a scary drop at night for both the men and the dogs.”
“There were three dogs in the trailer, which was half sunk. There was water and mud inside. We found two greyhounds in the car itself. Two NSW Ambulance members and I put lifejackets on both men. We tethered the car to the fire truck and rescued them all one by one.”
“We got everyone out, safe and uninjured. It was a great result.”
Volunteers from the NSW SES Liverpool Plains, Murrurundi, Gunnedah and Tambar Springs Units all came to help, along with NSW Police, NSW Ambulance, NSW Rural Fire Service, NSW Volunteer Rescue Association and the Westpac Helicopter.
“Everyone worked extremely well together to come up with a solution,” said Frank.
